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“JAMES  HUDSON  TAYLOR,  PIONEER 

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MISSIONARY  OF  INLAND  CHINA” 

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By  GLORIA  G.  HUNNEX 

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Baptist  Board  of  Education 

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DEPARTMENT  OF  MISSIONARY  EDUCATION 

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276  FIFTH  AVENUE,  NEW  YORK  CITY 

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Course  No.  2 


J.  Hudson  Taylor 

Founder  of  the  China  Inland  Mission 


SOURCE  BOOK 

“James  Hudson  Taylor,  Pioneer  Missionary 

of  Inland  China" 

By  Gloria  G.  Hunnex 


Baptist  Board  of  Education 

DEPARTMENT  OF  MISSIONARY  EDUCATION 

276  Fifth  Avenue,  New  York  City 


OUTLINE 


Page 


Introductory  Statement .  2 

Program  for  Meeting  .  3 

Life  Sketch  .  4 

Life  Incidents  .  7 


Program  based  upon  James  Hudson  Taylor,  Pioneer 
Missionary  of  Inland  China 

by  Gloria  G.  Hunnex 

Gospel  Trumpet  Company,  Anderson,  Indiana,  75  cents 

FOREWORD 

THE  Missionary  Heroes  Course  for  Boys  meets  a  real  need. 

It  is  a  series  of  missionary  programs  for  boys  based  on  great 
biographies  which  every  boy  should  know.  Courses  Number 
One  and  Number  Two  are  now  available,  each  providing  pro¬ 
grams  for  twelve  months,  which  may  be  used  in  the  monthly 
meetings  of  boys’  groups.  Other  courses  are  in  preparation  and 
will  be  issued  for  subsequent  years. 

It  is  suggested  that  the  leader  purchase  two  copies  of  each 
booklet ;  one  to  be  kept  for  reference  and  the  other  to  be  cut  up 
to  provide  each  boy  with  his  assigned  part.  Some  may  prefer 
to  purchase  one  booklet  and  typewrite  the  parts  for  assignment. 
In  order  to  tie  together  the  life  incidents  as  they  are  presented 
by  the  boys,  the  leader  should  master  the  facts  outlined  in  the 
biographical  sketch  and  read  carefully  the  volume  upon  which 
the  program  is  based.  These  volumes  are  missionary  classics 
and  may  be  made  the  basis  of  a  worthwhile  library  of  Christian 
adventure. 

Boys  are  keenly  interested  in  stories  of  adventure  and  achieve¬ 
ment  and  it  is  hoped  that  participation  in  the  programs  will  lead 
many  of  the  lads  to  read  these  great  missionary  biographies.  At¬ 
tention  is  called  to  the  twenty-three  other  life-story  programs  now 
available  for  Courses  Number  One  and  Number  Two,  both  of 
which  are  listed  on  the  last  page.  The  books  upon  which  these 
programs  are  based  can  be  ordered  from  the  nearest  literature 
headquarters.  Portraits  of  these  missionary  heroes  are  also  avail¬ 
able  for  purchase  at  fifteen  cents  a  <?opy. 

While  these  programs  have  been  developed  to  meet  the  needs 
of  boys’  organizations  of  all  types — i.e.,  Organized  Classes,  Boy 
Scouts,  Knights  of  King  Arthur,  Kappa  Sigma  Pi,  etc.,— they 
were  especially  prepared  for  the  chapters  of  the  Royal  Ambas¬ 
sadors,  a  missionary  organization  for  teen  age  boys  originating 
in  the  Southland  and  recently  adapted  to  the  needs  of  the  North¬ 
ern  Baptist  Convention  by  the  Department  of  Missionary  Edu¬ 
cation.  We  commend  these  materials  to  all  lovers  of  boys. 

William  A.  Hill. 


PROGRAM  FOR  MEETING 


1.  Scripture  Reading:  Psalm  91,  beginning  “He  that  dwelleth 
in  the  secret  place  of  the  Most  High  shall  abide  under  the 
shadow  of  the  Almighty.”  This  Psalm  was  read  aloud  by 
J.  Hudson  Taylor  at  Wu-tieu,  after  deliverance  from  grave 
danger.  (See  “Hudson  Taylor  in  Early  Years,”  Vol.  I 
page  357  and  excerpt  No.  10,  following  from  “James  Hud¬ 
son  Taylor,  Pioneer  Missionary  of  Inland  China,  ’  ’  by  Gloria 
G.  Hunnex.) 

2.  Prayer. 

3.  Hymn:  “Jesus  Lover  of  My  Soul.”  This  hymn  was  often 
sung  on  shipboard  by  the  first  party  of  volunteers  on  the 
way  to  Inland  China.  (See  “Hudson  Taylor  and  the  China 
Inland  Mission”  Vol.  II,  page  73.) 

4.  Introduction  to  the  Life-Story#  (based  upon  pages  1-18  of 
“James  Hudson  Taylor,  Pioneer  Missionary  of  Inland 
China.”) 

5.  His  Early  Schooling  and  Conversion  (pages  18-19,  20-21). 

6.  The  Call  to  China  (pages  22-24). 

7.  Preparation  for  His  Life  Work  (pages  25-26,  26-27,  44,  45). 

8.  Welcomed  to  Shanghai  (pages  63-65). 

9.  Early  Missionary  Journeys  (pages  75-76,  79-80,  83-84). 

10.  Deliverance  from  Grave  Danger  (pages  90-94). 

11.  Running  a  Hospital  on  Faith  (pages  134-137). 

12.  Founding  the  China  Inland  Mission  (pages  139-140,  141- 
143). 

13.  Development  of  the  Mission  (pages  145-148). 

14.  “He  was  not,  for  God  took  him”  (pages  149,  150-153). 

15.  The  China  Inland  Mission  Jubilee  (“Missionary  Review  of 
the  World,”  July,  1925). 


*  The  leader  should  read  the  brief  sketch  in  this  pamphlet,  and  also  the 
brief  life  by  Gloria  G.  Hunnex,  “James  Hudson  Taylor,  Pioneer  Missionary  of  In¬ 
land  China.”  A  short  sketch  of  J.  Hudson  Taylor  will  be  found  in  “Great  Mission¬ 
aries  for  Young  People,”  by  Jeanne  M.  Serrell. 


3 


SKETCH  OF  THE  LIFE  OF 
J.  HUDSON  TAYLOR 


JAMES  HUDSON  TAYLOR  was  born  at  Barnsley,  York¬ 
shire,  England.  His  father  was  a  druggist  by  profession  and 
an  active  leader  in  Methodism,  his  forebears  having  been  pro¬ 
foundly  influenced  by  John  Wesley.  Reverence  for  the  Word  of 
God  and  a  genuine  Christian  piety,  characterized  his  home  en¬ 
vironment. 

As  a  lad,  however,  his  health  was  very  uncertain  and  it  was 
not  until  he  was  eleven  years  of  age  that  he  attended  the  public 
school.  Two  years  later  he  left  school  to  assist  his  father  in  the 
drug  store.  His  studies  were,  however,  continued  at  home  under 
his  mother’s  direction.  When  he  was  seventeen,  he  read  a  tract 
entitled  “The  Finished  Work  of  Christ,”  which  resulted  in  a 
deep  spiritual  experience  of  God’s  saving  grace.  The  timely 
visit  of  Dr.  Charles  Gutzlaff  of  China  directed  his  thought  to 
medical  service  to  China’s  millions. 

At  the  age  of  nineteen,  he  left  home  to  begin  an  apprentice¬ 
ship  in  medicine  under  Dr.  Robert  Hardey  of  Hull.  During  this 
year  in  Hull,  he  tested  the  promises  of  God  again  and  again,  for 
he  deemed  it  “important  to  learn  before  leaving  England  to 
move  man  through  God,  by  prayer  alone.”  In  the  fall  of  1852 
he  relinquished  his  position  with  Dr.  Hardey  and  on  faith  en¬ 
tered  the  London  Hospital  for  further  study.  His  increasing 
absorption  in  the  needs  of  China  finds  expression  at  this  time 
in  the  words:  “I  feel  as  if  I  could  not  live  if  something  is  not 
done  for  China.”  The  China  Evangelization  Society  offered,, 
in  the  midst  of  his  medical  training,  to  send  him  to  his  chosen 
field  of  service  and  he  sailed  for  Shanghai  in  his  twenty-first  year. 

On  his  arrival  at  Shanghai  (March  1,  1854)  and  his  first  sight  % 
of  the  teeming  thousands  in  her  narrow  streets,  he  wrote  home  to 
his  mother:  “I  did  long  to  be  able  to  tell  them  the  glad  tidings.” 

He  was  kindly  received  by  the  workers  of  the  London  Mission 
Society  and  with  their  assistance  found  lodgings  and  a  teacher. 

Toward  the  end  of  his  first  year  in  China,  he  decided  to  vary 
the  monotony  of  his  faithful  study  of  the  Chinese  language  by 
accepting  the  invitation  of  an  experienced  missionary  to  accom¬ 
pany  him  on  an  evangelistic  tour.  The  thrill  of  engaging  in 


4 


actual  missionary  work  kindled  his  spirit  and  from  now  on  he 
made  repeated  trips  by  house-boat  into  the  regions  beyond 
Shanghai.  Rough  usage  and  even  grave  danger  did  not  daunt 
him  and  his  purpose  became  fixed  to  invest  his  life  in  pioneer 
work  in  the  interior  of  China. 

After  making  his  headquarters  at  Swatow  for  a  time,  he 
removed  to  Ningpo.  Here  he  met  Miss.  Maria  Dyer,  who  was 
teaching  in  a  mission  school.  Four  years  later,  on  January  20, 
1858,  after  demonstrating  anew  the  adage:  “The  way  of  true 
love  runs  not  smooth,”  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Dyer. 
Their  home  on  Bridge  Street,  Ningpo  became  the  first  head¬ 
quarters  of  what  was  later  to  develop  into  the  China  Inland 
Mission.  The  following  year,  the  sudden  death  of  the  wife  of 
Dr.  Parker  his  co-worker,  compelled  him  to  return  to  Scotland 
with  his  four  children,  and  the  responsibility  for  the  crowded 
hospital  at  Ningpo  was  thrust  upon  Hudson  Taylor.  The  prayer 
of  faith  was  answered  and  the  funds  for  maintaining  the  work 
were  steadily  supplied. 

But  the  strain  of  six  strenuous  years  was  beginning  to  tell 
upon  him  and  failing  health  compelled  his  return  to  England.  In 
spite  of  the  pressure  of  speaking  appointments,  the  problem  of 
bearing  the  Gospel  message  to  inland  China  was  more  and  more 
upon  his  mind.  He  wrote  in  the  booklet :  ‘  *  China ’s  Spiritual 
Need  and  Claims”:  “A  million  a  month  in  China  are  dying 
without  God  and  we  who  have  received  in  trust  the  Word  of 
Life,  we  are  responsible.”  With  this  conviction  burning  in  his 
soul,  he  slipped  away  quietly  on  Sunday  morning,  June  25,  1865, 
to  the  shore  near  Brighton,  to  pray  the  problem  through.  That 
day  he  determined,  in  increased  dependence  upon  prayer,  to 
enlist  an  increasing  force  of  workers  to  carry  the  Gospel  message 
to  Inland  China.  With  the  co-operation  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  W.  T. 
Berger,  wealthy  sympathizers  in  his  work,  he  founded  the  China 
Inland  Mission.  The  Mission  was  to  be  interdenominational  in 
scope.  No  public  or  private  requests  were  to  be  made  for  con¬ 
tributions,  and  the  enlisted  workers  were  to  receive  no  stated 
salary,  but  the  work  was  to  be  supported  on  faith,  through 
prayer.  George  Mueller,  founder  of  the  Bristol  Orphanages, 
became-  the  staunch  friend  of  the  Mission  and  many  others 
became  deeply  interested  in  the  work. 

On  May  26,  1866,  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Taylor  sailed  for  China  with 
their  first  party  of  volunteers.  After  a  period  of  training  in  the 
study  of  the  language,  they  donned  the  native  dress  and  traveled 
to  distant  unprotected  posts  in  the  interior.  Initial  periods  of 
suspicion  and  hostility  were  often  followed  by  serious  outbreaks, 
but  still  the  work  advanced.  Two  years  after  their  return,  their 


5 


* 


home  at  Yang  Chow  was  stormed  by  a  hostile  mob  but  no  physical 
injury  was  inflicted.  In  1870  Hudson  Taylor  was  sorely  bereft 
in  the  death  of  his  wife,  Maria  Dyer  Taylor. 

The  work  continued  to  expand  until  there  were  seventy  sta¬ 
tions  and  in  1881  the  China  Inland  missionaries  met  at  Wu 
Chang  to  pray  for  reinforcements,  asking  for  seventy  new  work¬ 
ers.  Within  three  years,  the  seventy  volunteers  presented  them¬ 
selves.  Then  in  1885,  the  attention  of  the  Christian  world  was 
focused  on  the  work  of  the  Mission  by  the  enlistment  of  seven 
graduates  of  Cambridge  University.  “The  Cambridge  Seven,” 
as  they  were  termed,  included  men  who  had  won  scholastic  and 
athletic  honors,  men  who  became  influential  leaders  in  China. 
At  the  beginning  of  1887,  prayer  was  offered  in  England  and 
China  for  a  hundred  new  workers  during  that  year.  Just  before 
Christmas,  the  last  detachment  of  that  hundred  was  ready  to 
depart  for  China. 

As  the  work  expanded,  district  superintendents  were  ap* 
pointed  in  China  to  care  for  the  respective  Provinces  and  a 
“Council”  was  formed  in  England  to  care  for  the  home  base. 
An  invitation  from  Dwight  L.  Moody  to  Dr.  Taylor  to  speak  at 
Northfield  and  Niagara-on-the-Lake  resulted  in  the  formation  of 
a  branch  of  the  China  Inland  Mission  in  North  America.  Soon 
other  branches  were  formed  in  Sweden  and  Australia  and  the 
work  became  not  only  interdenominational  but  also  international. 

Advancing  years  finally  compelled  Hudson  Taylor  to  relin¬ 
quish  active  work  and  in  1904,  accompanied  by  his  second  wife, 
Jeannie  Paulding  Taylor,  he  took  residence  in  Switzerland.  After 
the  death  of  his  second  wife  in  1905,  he  determined  to  make  a 
final  visit  to  China.  Accompanied  by  his  son,  Dr.  Howard  Taylor, 
he  proceeded  up  the  Yangtse  River  to  visit  the  stations  in  Hunan 
Province.  He  had  proceeded  as  far  as  Chang-Sha,  Hunan,  when 
on  June  3,  1905,  the  call  came  to  the  Crown  of  Rejoicing.  Like 
one  of  old:  “He  was  not,  for  God  took  him.”  The  China  Inland 
Mission  with  its  260  stations  and  1,134  workers  is  his  enduring 
monument. 


6 


INCIDENTS  IN  THE  LIFE  OF 
J.  HUDSON  TAYLOR 


j Reprinted  from  “  James  Hudson  Taylor,  Pioneer  Missionary 
of  Inland  China,  ”  by  Gloria  G.  II  annex 

by  permission  of  the  publishers,  Gospel  Trumpet  Company, 

Anderson,  Indiana 


His  Early  Schooling  and  Conversion.  (pP.  18-19 ,  20- 
21.) 

Not  until  he  was  eleven  years  of  age  did  Hudson  Taylor  begin 
his  brief  career  as  a  school-boy.  Even  then,  his  delicacy  of  health 
made  it  impossible  for  him  to  attend  regularly,  as  his  ambition  to 
learn  made  him  likely  to  study  too  much. 

Association  with  other  boys  was  one  thing  he  needed.  Boyish 
sports  did  not  attract  him  so  much  as  to  make  him  a  favorite 
by  any  means.  However,  he  made  some  lasting  friendships,  and 
activities  on  the  playground  had  a  valuable  effect  on  his  char¬ 
acter.  After  all,  school-days  were  not  really  happy  ones  for 
Hudson,  for  he  missed  the  spiritual  atmosphere  which  he  had 
always  had  before.  He  allowed  the  joyous  faith  of  childhood  to 
pass  away  and  for  six  years  was  unsettled  in  Christian  exper¬ 
ience,  though  most  of  the  time  trying  hard  to  make  himself  a 
Christian. 

But  there  came  to  Hudson  during  his  first  year  at  school  a 
fitting  word  which  he  never  forgot.  It  was  through  a  speech 
made  by  Mr.  Henry  Reed,  of  Tasmania,  in  which  the  speaker 
told  a  true  story  of  a  convict  under  sentence  of  death  who  had 
not  taken  heed  when  the  Spirit  of  God  said  to  him,  “My  son, 
give  me  thine  heart,”  but  had  walked  right  on  into  temptation 
and  finally  had  committed  murder.  The  details  of  the  story 
made  deep  impressions,  and  Hudson  was  never  able  to  get  away 
from  the  pleading  of  his  conscience,  “My  son,  give  me  thine 
heart,”  though  a  definite  experience  in  his  heart  did  not  come 
until  some  years  later. 

In  the  school  came  unsatisfactory  alterations,  and  as  his 
father  needed  help  in  the  drug-store,  Hudson’s  experience  in 
school-life  ended  just  before  Christmas,  1845.  He  was  glad  of 
a  chance  to  help  earn  his  own  living  while  carrying  on  his  studies 
at  home.  The  new  arrangement  worked  well.  His  father’s  library 


7 


afforded  all  the  books  he  required,  and  in  the  helpful  companion¬ 
ships  of  home  the  troubles  of  his  inner  life  began  to  pass  away. 
He  became  conscious  of  a  surrender  of  his  heart  to  God,  and  for 
a  time  seemed  to  get  on  well ;  but  another  testing-time  awaited 
him  .... 

‘  ‘  There  will  be  a  story  at  the  beginning  and  a  sermon  or  moral 
at  the  close.  I  will  take  the  former  and  leave  the  latter  for 
those  who  like  it,”  mused  Hudson  one  June  afternoon  in  1849 
as  his  eyes  fell  on  a  gospel  tract  lying  near  him.  He  was  having 
a  holiday  and  as  he  scarcely  knew  how  to  pass  the  hours,  he 
picked  up  the  tract  and  read  these  words,  “The  finished  work  of 
Christ.”  The  text,  “It  is  finished,”  then  came  to  his  mind, 
along  with  the  explanation,  “A  full  and  perfect  atonement  for 
sin.  The  debt  was  paid  for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world.”  Then 
thought  he,  ‘ 4  If  the  whole  work  was  finished,  and  the  whole  debt 
paid,  what  is  there  left  for  me  to  do?”  With  this  thought  came 
the  happy  conviction  that  it  was  for  him  to  accept  this  Savior 
and  this  salvation.  Thus  Hudson  Taylor  spent  the  most  profitable 
holiday  he  had  ever  had. 

His  mother  was  absent  from  home  and  would  not  return  for 
another  fortnight.  To  Amelia  he  first  broke  the  glad  news  of 
his  conversion.  When  Mrs.  Taylor  returned,  Hudson  was  the 
first  to, meet  her,  and  to  say  he  had  good  news  for  her.  “I 
know,  my  boy,  I  have  been  rejoicing  a  fortnight  in  the  glad  tid¬ 
ings  you  have  to  tell,”  she  answered. 

“Why,  has  Amelia  broken  her  promise?  She  said  she  would 
tell  no  one.” 

“Ah,  my  son,”  continued  the  mother,  “no  one  has  told  me. 
But  my  heart  became  so  burdened  for  you  that  a  fortnight  ago 
I  determined  not  to  arise  from  prayer  until  the  assurance  of 
your  salvation  came.  So  clearly  did  it  come  that  I  have  been 
praising  God  ever  since  for  the  answer,  and  that  my  only  boy 
is  again  restored  to  the  grace  and  favor  of  God.  ’  ’ 

The  Call  to  China.  (Pp.  22-24.) 

“Well  do  I  remember,”  he  wrote  long  years  afterward,  “as 
in  unreserved  consecration  I  put  myself,  my  life,  my  friends,  my 
all  upon  the  altar,  the  deep  solemnity  that  came  over  my  soul 
with  the  assurance  that  my  offering  was  accepted.  The  presence 
of  God  became  unutterably  real  and  blessed  ....  For  what  ser¬ 
vice  I  was  accepted,  I  knew  not,  but  a  deep  consciousness  that  I 
was  not  my  own  took  possession  of  me,  which  has  never  since  been 
effaced  ....  I  felt  I  was  in  the  presence  of  God,  entering  into 
covenant  with  the  Almighty.  I  felt  as  though  I  wished  to  with- 


8 


draw  my  promise,  but  could  not.  Something  seemed  to  say,  ‘Your 
prayer  is  answered,  your  conditions  are  accepted.’  From  that 
time  the  conviction  never  left  me  that  I  was  called  to  China.” 
As  if  a  clear  voice  had  spoken  audibly,  he  heard  the  words, 

*  ‘  Then  go  for  me  to  China  !  ’  ’ 

A  new  epoch  began  in  the  life  of  this  young  man.  The  past 
— yes,  when  only  a  wee  laddie  of  four  years,  was  it  not  to  China 
he  said  he  was  going  when  he  became  a  man?  The  present — - 
surely  China  was  the  meaning  of  his  life  now.  The  future — ah, 
‘  ‘  away  beyond  himself,  outside  the  little  world  of  his  own  heart- 
experience,  lay  the  great  waiting  world,  those  for  whom  no  man 
cared,  for  whom  Christ  died.”  His  prayer  was  answered,  his 
conditions  were  accepted. 

With  the  coming  in  of  the  year  1850,  Hudson  was  still  em¬ 
ployed  in  his  father’s  drug-store,  with  good  prospects  before 
him.  But  another  work,  of  which  he  now  knew  almost  nothing, 
claimed  his  attention.  How  to  prepare  for  it  and  reach  it  he  had 
no  idea,  though  the  call  to  China  was  clear.  Simply  a  young  boy 
in  a  small  town,  what  could  he  do  for  China  ?  That  great  Empire 
of  the  East,  so  mighty  in  area  and  population,  wrapped  in  mys¬ 
tery,  for  centuries  proud  of  her  exclusiveness,  forbidding  strang¬ 
ers  to  peep  behind  the  curtain  of  her  seclusion,  yet  so  painfully 
in  need  of  the  gospel — how  could  the  insignificant  Barnsley  boy 
presume  to  become  an  ambassador  of  the  King  of  kings  to  such 
a  remote  corner  of  the  earth?  “Then  go  for  me  to  China”  was 
the  divine  command,  definite  and  final.  So  he  began  to  pray 
long  and  earnestly  for  guidance. 

Preparation  for  His  Life  W ork.  ( Pp .  25-26,  26-27,  44- 
45.) 

As  another  form  of  preparation,  Hudson  studied  the  mean¬ 
ing  of  the  Chinese  characters  in  his  little  Gospel  portion  which 
his  own  friend  had  given  him.  He  had  heard  that  Mr.  Milne, 
a  co-worker  with  Robert  Morrison  in  1813  in  China,  has  said 
that  the  task  of  learning  the  Chinese  language  required  “bodies 
of  iron,  lungs  of  brass,  heads  of  oak,  hands  of  spring  steel,  eyes 
of  eagles,  hearts  of  apostles,  memories  of  angels,  and  lives  of 
Methuselah.”  But  this  did  not  daunt  the  zeal  of  young  Taylor, 
who,  after  a  few  weeks,  had  learned  the  meaning  of  several  hun¬ 
dred  Chinese  characters,  though  he  could  not  pronounce  them  .  .  . 

It  was  now  more  than  a  year  since  Hudson’s  call  had  come, 
and  he  felt  it  was  time  for  more  definite  preparation  for  his 
life’s  work.  Five  years’  experience  in  his  father’s  shop  made 
him  skilful  in  the  dispensing  of  medicines  and  even  in  prescribing 


9 


for  ordinary  ailments.  Keen  on  earning  his  own  living,  he 
thought  that  as  an  assistant  to  a  doctor  with  a  good  practice  he 
might  provide  for  himself,  and  at  the  same  time  make  progress 
with  his  medical  studies.  After  much  prayer  for  guidance,  an 
opening  occurred  in  Hull  for  an  assistant  to  one  of  the  busiest 
doctors  in  town.  The  new  apprentice  took  up  work  on  his  nine¬ 
teenth  birthday  with  Dr.  Hardey,  who  was  much  esteemed  in 
Hull  as  a  good  medical  man  and  as  a  consistent  Christian  .  .  .  . 

He  felt  it  right  to  give  notice  to  Dr.  Hardey  at  once  so  as  to 
go  forward  with  his  medical  studies  in  London.  Now  that  his 
decision  was  made  to  take  the  next  step  forward,  he  burned 
all  the  bridges  behind  him  and  went  forth  to  the  great  city  of 
London  with  no  situation  in  sight.  All  his  efforts  there  to  find 
suitable  employment  failed.  He  had  no  savings  to  fall  back  upon 
except  what  he  had  put  aside  to  purchase  his  outfit  to  go  to 
China.  But  he  wasted  no  time  in  worry  about  the  future.  Now 
all  that  lay  between  him  and  want  in  the  great  city  of  London 
was  a  few  pounds  for  an  outfit  for  China,  a  promise  of  help  for 
hospital  fees,  an  invitation  to  be  a  guest  a  few  days  with  his 
uncle  while  locating  a  situation,  and  a  little  pocket-money.  .  .  . 

After  several  weeks  of  waiting  and  struggling,  he  was  finally 
received  into  a  hospital  as  a  student. 

Welcomed  to  Shanghai.  ( Pp .  63-65.) 

He  wrote  :  “My  feelings  on  stepping  ashore,  I  cannot  describe. 
My  heart  felt  as  though  it  had  not  room  and  must  burst  its 
bonds,  while  tears  of  gratitude  and  thankfulness  fell  from  my 
eye s.  ”  A  sense  of  loneliness  crept  over  him,  as  he  realized  he 
had  not  an  acquaintance  anywhere,  and  not  a  single  hand  held 
out  to  welcome  him.  But  he  had  three  letters  of  introduction 
to  people  who  were  friends  of  his  acquaintances  in  England, 
and  naturally  he  expected  advice  from  them.  Enquiring  for  the 
one  upon  whom  he  relied  for  the  most  help  young  Taylor  was  sor¬ 
rowfully  surprised  to  learn  that  this  man  had  died  of  fever 
only  a  month  or  two  before.  With  the  second  letter  of  introduc¬ 
tion  he  set  out  to  find  the  missionary  to  whom  it  was  addressed, 
only  to  learn  that  the  hoped-for  friend  had  recently  left  for 
America !  Imagine  the  disappointment  of  the  new  missionary, 
as  he  took  up  his  third  letter  of  introduction,  from  which  he  had 
all  along  anticipated  the  least  help,  for  it  had  been  given  him 
by  a  stranger.  It  proved,  however,  to  be  God’s  channel  of  help. 

Leaving  the  British  Consulate,  he  wended  his  way  for  some 
distance  across  the  Foreign  Settlement,  in  search  of  the  London 
Mission  Compound.  Strange  sights,  sounds,  and  smells  greeted 


10 


him  from  every  angle.  In  the  narrow,  crowded  streets  he  saw 
hundreds  of  skirted  men  with  long  cues  hanging  down  their 
backs,  and  as  many  trousered  women,  with  embroidered  silk  slip¬ 
pers  covering  their  tiny-bound  feet. 

By  and  by  he  found  himself  before  an  open  gateway.  Within 
the  enclosure  there  was  a  mission  chapel,  hospital,  and  several 
dwelling-houses.  He  enquired  for  Dr.  Medhurst,  to  whom  his 
third  letter  of  introduction  was  addressed,  but  was  told  that  he 
was  no  longer  living  on  the  Compound!  While  much  perplexed 
as  to  his  next  step,  Mr.  Edkins,  a  junior  missionary,  came  to  his 
rescue.  Then  followed  an  introduction  to  all  the  other  mission¬ 
aries  of  the  Compound,  including  Dr.  Lockhart,  who,  fortunately, 
had  a  room  that  could  be  spared  for  the  new  missionary,  whose 
coming  was  unannounced.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Burdon,  a  newly  mar¬ 
ried  couple,  invited  him  to  dinner  that  evening,  and  from  the 
first  were  drawn  to  Hudson  Taylor  in  a  sympathy  to  which  he 
warmly  responded.  The  next  morning  he  brought  his  luggage 
ashore  from  the  Dumfries,  bought  necessary  books,  hired  a 
teacher,  and  was  ready  to  begin  studying  the  Chinese  language  in 
the  Mandarin  Dialect,  the  most  widely  spoken  in  China.  That 
evening  at  the  weekly  prayer-meeting  of  the  missionary  circle  in 
Shanghai,  Mr.  Taylor  was  introduced  to  other  missionaries  and 
was  made  to  feel  much  at  home  among  them. 

Early  Missionary  Journeys.  ( Pp .  75-76,  79-80,  83-85-) 

Mr.  Edkins  hired  a  house-boat  which  was  roomy  and,  for¬ 
tunately,  clean.  It  had  one  tall  mast  and  a  large  sail.  Even 
though  the  cabin  was  very  airy,  it  protected  them  from  wind  and 
rain.  In  this  Mr.  Edkins  and  Hudson  Taylor  arranged  their 
clothes,  bedding,  food-baskets,  medical  supplies,  instruments,  and 
a  large  assortment  of  Gospel  portions  and  tracts.  What  for? 
Did  they  not  have  a  house  to  live  in?  Why  should  they  set  up 
housekeeping  on  a  boat?  Oh,  they  were  going  to  follow  a  canal 
or  river  to  country  villages  and  towns,  preaching  to  the  heathen 
Chinese  the  love  of  Jesus. 

Everything  being  so  different  from  anything  Mr.  Taylor 
had  experienced  before,  lasting  impressions  were  made  upon  his 
mind.  There  was  a  good  view  of  the  low-lying  country  as  the 
boat  glided  through  the  waterway,  leaving  Shanghai  in  the  dis¬ 
tance.  There  were  innumerable  hamlets,  villages,  towns,  and 

cities _ homes  of  the  living.  Then  there  were  thousands  of  grave- 

mounds  indicating  the  city  of  the  dead.  How  strange  seemed 
the  first  night  that  they  spent  on  this  house-boat !  As  the  eve¬ 
ning  shadows  grew  longer,  which  they  did  so  early  on  those 

11 


short  December  days,  scores  and  scores  of  other  boats  were  cast¬ 
ing  anchor,  all  as  close  together  as  motor  cars  today  in  a  public 
parking-place.  Their  object  for  this  huddling  together  was  pro¬ 
tection  against  pirates. 

After  supper  the  two  missionaries  among  this  great  crowd  of 
Chinese  began  to  make  known  their  purpose  in  being  there.  Con¬ 
spicuous  as  they  were  for  their  white  faces,  fair  hair,  blue  eyes, 
and  English  dress,  among  these  people  with  yellow  faces,  jet  black 
hair  and  eyes  and  blue  cotton-padded  garments,  scarcely  no  time 
at  all  was  required  for  them  to  become  surrounded  by  a  large 
audience.  The  dim  light  from  the  cabin  fell  upon  those  faces  so 
full  of  interest,  yet  almost  devoid  of  comprehension,  as  they 
listened  for  the  first  time  to  the  old,  old  story  of  Jesus  and  His 
love.  The  simple  service  could  not  last  long,  for  boat  people 
rise  with  the  morning’s  first  streak  of  light,  and  therefore  must 
retire  early. 

Next  morning  when  the  missionaries  awoke,  they  found  them¬ 
selves  nearing  the  large  city  of  Sungkiang  about  forty  miles 
south  of  Shanghai.  Here  they  gave  away  books  and  preached  to 
the  crowds  on  the  streets.  .  .  . 

Full  of  zeal  and  enthusiasm  for  further  experience  in  this 
kind  of  work,  the  missionaries  returned  to  Shanghai  before  the 
end  of  the  year.  As  there  seemed  nothing  in  particular  to  keep 
young  Taylor  in  Shanghai  at  this  time,  he  bought  a  house-boat 
of  his  own,  and  set  out  January  25,  1855,  on  his  second  itinerary, 
in  mid-winter  and  alone. 

His  zeal  did  not  cool  by  the  predicament  in  which  he  found 
himself  next  morning.  High  banks  on  either  side  of  his  boat 
covered  with  -snow,  and  a  thick  covering  of  ice  on  the  river 
retarded  his  progress.  The  only  way  by  which  he  could  proceed 
at  all  was  to  break  a  channel  in  the  ice,  a  foot  at  a  time,  then 
thrust  a  long  pole  into  the  bank  and  push  the  boat  its  length 
ahead — a  process  that  had  to  be  continued  for  hours.  Many 
experiences  were  indelibly  stamped  upon  the  memory  of  this  mis¬ 
sionary  while  pioneering  among  numerous  villages  and  cities  on 
this  solitary  journey.  In  that  lawless  country  where  Tai-ping 
Rebels  were  still  fighting  against  the  Government,  how  easily 
might  this  lone  foreigner  have  been  seized  and  held  for  ransom, 
or  even  tortured  and  killed  !  He  wrote  afterwards,  ‘ 1 1  knew  that 
I  was  where  duty  had  placed  me  ....  and  felt  that,  though 
solitary,  I  was  not  alone.” 

By  and  by  he  found  himself  in  Shanghai  again,  where  war 
clouds  hung  heavier  and  darker  than  ever.  Rumors  were  afloat 
that  an  attack  would  be  made  on  the  Foreign  Settlement  by  the 
Rebels;  in  which  event  none  could  escape  from  the  Government 


12 


troops,  for  they  would  be  glad  enough  to  have  the  white  men  all 
massacred  so  they  could  share  the  spoils.  Anxious  as  these  time 
were,  Hudson  Taylor  proceeded  to  make  plans  for  his  third  tour 
in  outlying  districts  .... 

A  week  later  all  preparations  were  made  and  off  they  started 
northwest,  to  the  town  of  Kia-ting.  After  having  been  sur¬ 
rounded  by  such  large  crowds  on  every  preaching-trip  before, 
imagine  how  strange  it  must  have  seemed  to  Hudson  Taylor  when 
children  and  men  and  women,  the  young  and  the  old,  all  fled 
from  the  streets  in  terror  as  the  missionaries  approached !  No 
one  would  venture  near  them,  but  ran  into  houses  and  closed  the 
doors,  peeping  out  to  watch  after  the  foreigners  had  passed. 

But  the  missionaries  were  wise  enough  to  let  themselves  be 
seen  openly  as  much  as  possible  and  to  make  it  known  that. they 
were  able  to  heal  disease.  They  announced  that  on  the  morrow 
they  would  examine  cases  of  sickness  and  prescribe  medicine 
free.  This  seemed  to  turn  the  feeling  of  fear  among  the  people, 
and  as  they  walked  the  streets  and  passed  along  the  city  walls, 
they  heard  many  remark  that  they  were  ‘  ‘  doers  of  good  deeds.  ’  ’ 
Crowds  began  to  follow,  but  at  a  distance  which  they  felt  was 
safe.  The  next  day  they  began  early  and  worked  hard  until 
three  o’clock,  seeing  all  the  sick  they  possibly  could.  After  that, 
Dr.  Parker  went  on  the  boat,  and  Mr.  Taylor  selected  the  worst 
cases  and  took  them  to  him,  having  to  send  the  rest  away.  After¬ 
wards  they  were  invited  into  the  very  homes  wrhose  doors  had 
been  shut  against  them  the  day  before,  “all  due  to  ointments, 
pills,  and  powders  prescribed  with  sympathy  and  prayer.  ’  ’ 

When  this  journey  was  ended,  Mr.  Taylor  with  his  fellow 
workers  had  distributed,  during  the  past  three  months,  three 
thousand  New  Testaments  and  more  than  seven  thousand  other 
books  and  tracts.  .  .  . 

Deliverance  from  Grave  Danger.  ( Pp .  90-94-) 

The  following  day  they  were  determined  to  visit  the  city  of 
Tungchow,  though  they  were  warned  that  its  reputation  was 
bad.  They  wished  at  least  to  distribute  Scriptures  within  its 
walls,  with  prayers  that  the  good  seed  sown  might  bring  forth 
fruit  to  life  eternal.  Commending  themselves  to  the  care  of 
their  heavenly  Father,  they  gave  orders  to  their  boatmen  to 
learn  as  much  as  possible  about  their  fate,  if  they  did  not  return, 
then  carry  the  news  to  Shanghai  quickly.  The  native  teachers 
tried  to  persuade  them  not  to  go.  The  servant  who  always  car¬ 
ried  their  books  on  such  occasions  started  with  them,  but  soon 
asked  to  return,  having  become  frightened  at  what  he  heard 


13 


about  the  soldiers  at  Tungchow.  His  request  was  granted,  of 
course;  and  about  that  time  a  respectable  man  in  passing  tried 
to  turn  the  missionaries  back,  saying  they  would  soon  find  to 
their  sorrow  what  the  soldiers  were  like.  Thanking  him  for  his 
advice,  which  they  could  not  accept,  on  they  went — whether  for 
bonds,  imprisonment,  death,  or  a  safe  return  they  knew  not,  but 
they  felt  that  by  the  grace  of  God  they  would  not  leave  Tungchow 
any  longer  without  the  gospel. 

Then  the  wheelbarrow  man  refused  to  go  further;  so  another 
had  to  be  found.  The  rough  ride  was  anything  but  pleasant 
through  the  mud  and  rain,  but  the  young  men  encouraged  each 
other  by  Scripture  promises  and  hymns.  As  they  neared  the  city 
they  prayed  that  they  might  speak  the  word  with  all  boldness. 
As  they  did  not  wish  to  endanger  the  wheelbarrow  men,  these 
were  dismissed  outside  the  city.  On  they  walked  then,  some¬ 
what  amused  as  the  people  called  out,  “  Black  devils  are  com¬ 
ing  !  ’  ’  Several  soldiers  were  passed  who  seemed  quiet  enough, 
but  presently  a  tall,  powerful,  half-drunken  man  seized  Mr. 
Burdon  by  the  shoulder,  and  all  at  once  they  were  surrounded 
by  a  dozen  or  more  of  his  companions  and  were  being  hurried 
on  to  the  city  very  rapidly. 

Mr.  Taylor’s  bag  of  books  was  getting  very  heavy,  but  he 
could  not  change  hands.  Soon  he  was  in  great  perspiration  and 
was  hardly  able  to  keep  up  with  the  soldiers.  They  told  the  sol¬ 
diers  to  take  them  to  the  chief  magistrate,  but  were  answered 
very  roughly,  “We  know  where  to  take  you  and  what  to  do.” 
The  tall  man  who  had  seized  Mr.  Burdon  then  left  him  for  Mr. 
Taylor,  who  afterwards  wrote :  ‘ 1  He  became  my  principal  tor¬ 
mentor,  for  I  was  neither  so  tall  nor  so  strong  as  my  friend  and 
was  less  able  to  resist  him.  He  all  but  knocked  me  down  again 
and  again,  seized  me  by  the  hair,  took  hold  of  my  collar  so  as 
almost  to  choke  me,  and  grasped  my  arms  and  shoulders  making 
them  black  and  blue.  Had  this  continued  much  longer,  I  must 
have  fainted.  All  but  exhausted,  how  refreshing  was  the  remem¬ 
brance  of  a  quotation  by  my  dear  mother  in  one  of  her  last 
letters : 

“  ‘We  speak  of  the  realms  of  the  blest, 

That  country  so  bright  and  so  fair ; 

And  oft  are  its  glories  confessed, 

But  what  must  it  be  to  be  there!’  ” 

In  the  meantime  Mr.  Burdon  tried  to  give  away  a  few  books 
that  were  under  his  arm.  Disputes  among  the  soldiers  proved 
that  some  wanted  to  take  them  to  the  Yamen,  while  others  wished 
to  kill  them  outright.  Then  Mr.  Taylor  managed  to  bring  from 
his  pocket  his  Chinese  card  (a  large  red  paper  bearing  his  name) 


14 


and  demanded  that  it  should  be  given  to  the  chief  official  of  the 
place,  after  which  they  were  treated  with  a  little  less  severity. 
After  being  dragged  through  long,  weary  streets,  their  bodies 
bathed  in  perspiration  and  their  tongues  dry  with  thirst,  they 
at  last  leaned  against  the  wall  in  front  of  the  Yamen.  Chairs 
and  tea  were  asked  for,  but  they  were  told  to  wait.  While  wait¬ 
ing,  Mr.  Burdon  preached  Jesus  to  the  onlooking  crowd  that  had 
gathered.  Their  cards  and  books  had  been  sent  in  to  the  official 
but  he  being  of  low  rank,  referred  them  to  a  higher  officer. 

The  young  men  refused  to  go  unless  sedan-chairs  were 
brought.  Finally  the  soldiers  consented  to  this.  At  last  the 
prisoners  were  in  the  presence  of  an  old  mandarin  who  had 
formerly  held  office  in  Shanghai  and  who  knew  how  foreigners 
should  be  treated.  He  met  them  with  every  respect  and  cour¬ 
tesy,  and  took  them  into  a  more  private  room  away  from  the 
rabble  of  the  people.  Air.  Taylor  offered  him  a  New  Testament 
and  tracts,  and  told  him  briefly  what  they  were  teaching,  thus 
explaining  their  object  in  visiting  the  city. 

The  old  man  ordered  refreshments  for  them.  Of  these  he 
also  partook,  while  he  listened  attentively.  After  a  long  stay 
.they  were  given  permission  to  distribute  the  rest  of  their  books. 
They  were  also  provided  with  an  escort  until  they  were  not  only 
safely  outside  the  city  but  fully  half  way  back  to  their  boats 
once  more. 

Running  a  Hospital  on  Faith .  (Pp.  134-137.) 

Four  motherless  little  tots  for  Dr.  Parker  to  care  for,  and 
one  of  them  very  ill,  was  the  shocking  news  which  spread  quickly 
in  the  Foreign  Settlement  of  Ningpo  upon  the  sudden  death  of 
Mrs.  Parker.  Their  building-plans  had  already  been  completed, 
which  included  a  splendid  hospital,  dispensary,  chapel  and 
dwelling-house.  But  his  sudden  grief  brought  Dr.  Parker  to  real¬ 
ize  how  much  his  own  health  had  been  reduced  by  five  years 
spent  in  China. 

All  he  felt  able  to  do  was  to  take  his  family  home  to  relatives 
in  Scotland.  But  what  was  to  be  done  with  his  hospital  full  of 
patients?  What  with  the  crowded  dispensary  every  day,  with 
people  needing  help  ?  No  other  doctor  was  free  to  take  his  place, 
yet  to  close  down  seemed  out  of  the  question. 

It  came  as  a  great  surprize  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Taylor  when 
Dr.  Parker  asked  them  to  take  over  this  prosperous  work.  Upon 
their  knees  in  earnest  prayer  they  sought  the  will  of  the  Lord. 
Did  they  not  have  several  very  capable  native  workers  already? 
Why  should  they  allow  either  the  hospital  or  the  dispensary  to 

15 


be  closed  ?  As  to  funds — well,  Dr.  Parker  had  little  to  leave,  but 
prayer  had  not  lost  its  power;  or  if  it  had,  they  might  as  well 
retire  from  the  field. 

Strong,  therefore,  in  the  inward  assurance  that  God  had 
opened  up  this  greater  sphere  of  usefulness  for  them,  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Taylor  left  the  Bridge  Street  work  largely  to  the  care  of 
their  colleagues,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jones,  and  prepared  to  move  to 
Dr.  Parker’s.  Little  as  Mrs.  Taylor  realized  it,  her  husband 
could  hardly  have  taken  these  greater  responsibilities  had  it  not 
been  for  her  valuable  assistance.  She  relieved  him  of  all  account¬ 
keeping,  correspondence,  household  cares,  management  of  ser¬ 
vants,  and,  to  a  great  extent,  direction  of  his  hospital  staff.  She 
even  found  time  to  do  a  great  deal  in  the  wards  among  women 
patients,  and  spent  many  hours  in  caring  for  both  the  souls  and 
bodies  of  those  in  the  dispensary. 

Thus  her  beloved  husband  had  freedom  from  these  cares  to 
direct  the  large  establishment  and  give  himself  more  exclusively 
to  hospital  and  spiritual  work.  His  heart  continually  drew  upon 
divine  resources.  He  well  knew  that  the  greatness  of  his  out¬ 
ward  work  could  not  be  sustained  were  he  to  cease  the  inward 
cry  to  Him  upon  whom  its  success  depended.  Calling  together 
his  assistants,  then,  he  explained  the  true  state  of  affairs.  Dr. 
Parker  left  money  to  meet  expenses  of  the  current  month,  but 
after  that  they  must  look  directly  to  the  Lord  for  supplies.  He 
would  not  guarantee  stated  salaries,  because  he  would  not  go 
into  debt,  whatever  happened.  Therefore,  any  who  wished  to  do 
so  were  at  liberty  to  seek  other  positions,  though  he  should  be 
glad  to  have  them  stay  if  they  were  prepared  to  trust  the  prom¬ 
ises  of  God. 

As  Mr.  Taylor  expected,  those  who  were  not  whole-hearted 
Christians  did  leave,  thus  making  places  for  the  Bridge  Street 
workers  who  had  already  been  taught  to  trust  God  for  the  tem¬ 
poral  as  well  as  the  spiritual.  Even  all  the  patients  knew  upon 
what  basis  the  hospital  was  run  now;  so  with  eagerness  they 
watched  the  outcome. 

Dr.  Parker’s  money  was  finished  and  Hudson  Taylor’s  own 
supplies  were  low,  but  daily  he  and  his  band  of  faithful  workers 
placed  the  need  before  Him  whom  they  served.  And  this  was  one 
of  the  sorest  tests  Mr.  Taylor  had  ever  experienced  on  this  line, 
for  now  so  much  more  was  involved.  One  morning  the  cook 
appeared,  to  say  to  his  master  that  the  last  bag  of  rice  had  been 
opened.  “Then  the  Lord’s  time  for  helping  us  must  be  close  at 
hand,”  was  his  reply.  Just  so.  Before  that  bag  of  rice  was  fin¬ 
ished,  a  check  for  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  came  from  Mr. 
Berger,  of  far-away  England. 


16 


The  beauty  of  this  gift  was  that  when  Mr.  Berger’s  letter  was 
written,  Mrs.  Parker ’s  death  had  not  occurred  yet ;  so  of  course 
Mr.  Berger  knew  nothing  of  the  increased  needs  of  Hudson  Tay¬ 
lor  at  that  particular  time.  No  wonder  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Taylor 
and  their  staff  were  overcome  with  joy  and  praise.  The  patients 
in  the  hospital  hardly  knew  what  to  make  of  the  song  and  shouts 
of  joy.  But  how  they  listened,  those  men  and  women  who  had 
known  nothing  all  their  lives  but  blank,  empty  heathenism ! 

“Where  is  the  idol  that  can  do  anything  like  that?”  they 
asked.  1 1  Have  they  ever  delivered  us  in  our  troubles,  or  answered 
prayer  after  this  sort?” 

But  James  Hudson  Taylor  had  learned  before  leaving  Eng¬ 
land  “to  move  man,  through  God,  by  prayer  alone.” 

Founding  the  China  Inland  Mission.  (Pp.  139-140. 
141-143.) 

His  health  continued  to  fail  until  it  was  evident  that  the  long 
sea  voyage  to  England  was  the  only  hope  of  his  life.  Reluctantly, 
therefore,  the  last  good-bye  was  said  to  all  that  was  dear  in 
Ningpo,  but  two  busy  weeks  were  spent  in  Shanghai  making  final 
preparations.  Four  months  at  sea  on  the  Jubilee  bound  for 
London  gave  ample  time  for  quietness,  prayer  and  meditation. 

Whether  they  wTere  alone  in  their  cabin  by  day,  or  gazing  into 
the  starry  heavens  by  night,  or  taking  a  sunrise  walk  on  the  deck, 
never  did  their  deepest  fancy  build  for  them  an  air-castle  equal  to 
the  reality  of  the  future !  True,  they  looked  hopefully  into  the 
future,  trusting  for  restored  health,  fellow  missionaries,  and  a 
return  to  China.  But  never  in  those  days  did  James  Hudson  Tay¬ 
lor  have  a  thought  of  the  true  facts  awaiting  developments — 
Chine  open  to  the  gospel ;  a  mission  of  his  own  simple  style  at 
work  in  the  most  distant  provinces ;  ten  hundred  stations  and  out- 
stations;  over  a  thousand  missionaries,  and  more  than  two  thou¬ 
sand  native  evangelists,  pastors,  teachers,  and  Bible  women ;  over 
seven  million  dollars  put  into  his  hands  to  help  along  the  work 
of  such  a  mission  and  that  without  a  collection  or  single  appeal 
for  money ! 

How  could  his  faith  ever  have  been  enlarged  or  his  imagina¬ 
tion  have  been  stretched,  to  include  such  a  growth  of  a  work 
from  his  own  humble  beginning  during  those  first  few  years  in 
China  ?  But  the  man  whose  life  is  traced  in  this  little  volume  was 
simply  a  tool  in  the  hands  of  the  great  Master  Builder.  It  is  He 
Who  causes  the  giant  oak  to  spring  forth  from  an  insignificant* 
little  acorn.  What  great  possibilities  are  wrapped  up  in  young 
men  and  young  women  today !  Any  lad  or  lassie  who  gives  to 


17 


Jesus  the  few  loaves  and  fishes  which  he  or  she  may  possess  may 
see  the  multitudes  fed.  .  .  . 

While  Mr.  Taylor  was  pondering  and  praying  over  the  matter 
this  suggestion  came  to  his  mind :  “  If  you  see  these  things  more 
clearly  than  others,  why  not  go  forward  yourself,  and  trust  God 
to  accomplish  his  purposes  through  you?  Go  yourself  to  inland 
China!  If  power  in  prayer  be  granted,  what  is  to  hinder  your 
obtaining  the  men  and  the  means?  Five  have  already  been  given 
for  the  Ningpo  work :  why  not  a  larger  number  to  meet  the 
greater  need?” 

With  this  conviction  burning  in  his  soul,  Mr.  Taylor  slipped 
away  quietly  on  Sunday  morning,  June  25,  1865,  to  the  sands 
of  the  seashore  near  Brighton,  heavily  burdened  over  the  great 
responsibility.  Then  the  thought  came,  ‘ 4  Suppose  God  does  gives 
a  band  of  men  for  China,  and  they  reach  those  inland  regions, 
and  should  all  die  of  starvation  or  should  they  be  killed  in  riots, 
would  not  friends  at  home  blame  Him  for  taking  them  out?” 

While  he  was  in  agonizing  prayer  over  the  matter  the  Spirit 
of  God  spoke  to  him:  “Why  burdened  thus?  If  you  are  simply 
obeying  God,  all  the  responsibility  must  be  left  with  Him,  and 
not  with  you.” 

“Very  well,”  responded  the  waiting  soul  to  this  welcome  as¬ 
surance;  “Thou,  Lord,  shaft  be  responsible  for  them  and  for 
me,  too.” 

In  the  quiet  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  W.  T.  Berger  at  Saint 
Hill  the  foundation  of  the  future  mission  was  laid  in  long  and 
prayerful  talks  over  the  important  doctrines  of  the  Word  of 
God.  Principles  upon  which  the  mission  was  to  be  conducted 
were  as  prayerfully  thought  out.  “Grace  and  guidance,  men 
and  means,  faith  and  the  fulness  of  the  Spirit  for  this  service, 
all  were  sought  and  found  by  this  little  company  of  men  and 
women  on  their  knees,  who  had  been  taught  to  trust  in  the  simple 
promises  of  God;  and  trusting,  to  obey.” 

They  agreed  that  the  mission  should  be  undenominational  in 
that  it  should  hold  to  no  particular  creed,  except  the  general  prin¬ 
ciples  of  evangelical  Christianity.  And  it  was  to  be  interdenomi¬ 
national  in  that  workers  would  be  accepted  from  all  evangelical 
denominations.  The  policy  of  its  founder,  never  to  go  into  debt, 
was  woven  into  the  new  mission,  and  is  still  adhered  to.  It  was 
to  be  called  the  “China  Inland  Mission,”  because  its  centers  of 
operation  were  to  be  away  from  the  coast,  out  in  the  interior 
provinces  of  China.  Mr.  Berger  accepted  the  duties  of  Home 
Director. 


18 


During  the  remainder  of  that  year  and  the  early  spring  of 
1866  the  Mission  was  further  developed,  and  a  party  of  mission¬ 
aries  were  being  prepared  to  enter  the  field. 

Development  of  the  Mission.  ( Pp .  145-148.) 

Though  confronted  all  the  years  by  riots,  wars,  deaths  among 
the  missionaries,  shortage  of  funds,  and  many  other  obstructions, 
yet  the  work  of  the  Mission  had  grown  to  such  a  size  that  one 
could  not  help  but  recognize  that  God’s  hand  was  upon  it.  In 
1880  there  were  seventy  stations  occupied  by  as  many  mission¬ 
aries.  But  the  increasing  demands  of  the  work  required  more 
men.  So  Mr.  Taylor  called  a  convention  at  Wu  Chang,  where 
many  of  the  workers  met  him.  They  pledged  themselves  to  pray 
for  seventy  more  missionaries  during  the  next  three  years ;  and  at 
the  end  of  that  time  the  prayer  was  fully  answered.  Then  in  1885 
a  blessing  was  added  by  the  coming  of  seven  graduates  from 
Cambridge  University. 

As  Mr.  Taylor  could  no  longer  direct  this  growing  work  with¬ 
out  help,  district  superintendents  were  appointed  in  the  different 
provinces.  At  the  beginning  of  1887  prayer  was  made  for  a 
hundred  new  workers  during  that  year,  and  just  before  Christ¬ 
mas  the  last  detachment  of  that  hundred  were  ready  to  depart 
for  China. 

It  was  while  Mr.  Taylor  was  again  in  England  that  he  was 
urged  by  a  successful  business  man  in  New  York  State  to  estab¬ 
lish  a  branch  of  the  C.  I.  M.  in  North  America.  At  first  the  pro¬ 
posal  was  not  hopeful,  but  a  little  later  another  request  came 
from  Mr.  Moody  for  Mr.  Taylor  to  attend  the  Students’  Summer 
School  at  Northfield  the  following  year.  After  this  request  there 
came  an  invitation  to  take  part  in  the  Niagara  Conference.  These 
were  accepted,  but  with  no  thought  of  results. 

But  at  any  rate,  a  North-American  branch  of  the  China  In¬ 
land  Mission  was  established ;  and  later  a  branch  in  Scotland, 
in  Sweden,  and  in  Australia  were  great  assets  to  the  work  both 
in  men  and  in  money.  Thus  the  Mission  whose  founder  went 
out  to  China  alone,  a  physically  frail  young  man  having 
neither  a  theological,  a  university,  nor  a  medical  degree,  and 
no  financial  backing  except  the  divine  promises  “between  the 
covers  of  his  pocket  Bible” — that  Mission,  we  are  thankful  to 
say,  has  never  taken  a  backward  step  for  lack  of  funds. 

It  has  steadily  increased  from  one  man  and  one  station  dur¬ 
ing  a  period  of  sixty-eight  years,'  or  until  January  1,  1922,  so 
that  by  the  blessing  of  God  the  figures  stand  as  follows : 


19 


Missionaries  .  1,073 

Paid  Chinese  Helpers .  1,968 

Voluntary  Chinese  Helpers .  1,876 

Stations . 251 

Outstations  . 1,633 

Chapels  . „ . .  1,332 

Hospitals .  11 

Dispensaries  . 100 

Native  Schools . . . 484 

Baptisms  . 86,831 

Students  in  schools  at  Chefoo  for  children  of 
the  missionaries .  300 


Prayer,  faith,  sacrifice  and  service — these  were  elements  com¬ 
posing  the  good  seed  that  was  sown  some  three-score  and  ten 
years  ago.  Having  germinated,  this  seed  grew  into  the  wonder¬ 
ful  Mission  which  we  see  today.  It  is  a  lesson  teaching  us  that 
“God  honors  faith,  answers  prayer,  and  never  fails  those  who 
attempt  great  things  for  God  and  expect  great  things  from 
God.  ’  ’ 


“He  rcas  not ,  for  God  took  him  ”  ( Pp .  149, 150-153.) 

While  he  was  taking  a  rest  in  Switzerland,  another  great  sor¬ 
row  came  into  the  life  of  our  hero,  occasioned  by  the  death  of  his 
second  wife,  whose  devotion  to  him  and  his  God  was  most  help¬ 
ful  in  health  and  in  sickness.  Soon  afterwards — early  in  1905 — 
he  had  a  fervent  desire  again  to  visit  China.  His  son  and  daugh- 
ter-in-law,  Dr.  Howard  and  Geraldine  Taylor  traveled  with  him, 
but  so  feeble  was  their  father  that  at  times  it  looked  as  though 
he  could  not  outlive  the  voyage. 

But  eventually  the  land  of  his  adoption  was  reached,  and  after 
a  brief  stay  in  Shanghai,  where  he  saw  most  of  the  members  of 
the  China  Council,  who  had  remained  after  their  April  sittings 
to  meet  him,  he  proceeded  up  the  Yangtse  River.  The  aged 
founder  of  the  Inland  Mission  was  determined  to  visit  the  once 
bitterly  anti-foreign  province  of  Hunan,  in  the  heart  of  China, 
where  he  had  never  gone  before.  It  was  the  last  of  the  eighteen 
provinces  to  be  opened  to  the  gospel.  A  few  missionaries  were 
at  work  there  now,  in  the  capital  city  of  Chang-Sha  and  Mr.  Tay¬ 
lor  wanted  just  to  go  and  see  ...  . 

The  little  party  of  travelers  were  warmly  welcomed  into  the 
mission  home  by  their  workers  at  Chang-Sha  on  Thursday  the 
first  of  June.  Friday  they  were  conveyed  in  sedan-chairs  to  dif¬ 
ferent  places  of  interest  in  the  city,  one  of  which  was  a  lofty 
building  on  the  highest  part  of  the  city  wall.  From  here  Mr. 


20 


Taylor  was  charmed  with  the  delightful  view  before  him  of  the 
great  city,  and  of  the  mountains,  plains,  and  rivers  surrounding 
it.  He  also  visited  the  site  of  several  acres  which  the  governor 
was  giving  for  their  medical  mission. 

Saturday  morning  “the  venerable  Pastor 7 7  addressed  a  con¬ 
gregation  of  Chinese  who  had  assembled  for  worship.  Dr.  and 
Mrs.  Keller  planned  a  reception,  to  give  all  the  missionaries  an 
opportunity  of  meeting  this  aged  pioneer  of  the  crass.  “He 
looked  so  fresh  and  nice,”  wrote  Mrs.  Geraldine  Tavlor  after- 
wards,  “when  he  came  down  at  four  o’clock  to  greet  the  friends 
who  were  gathering  ....  One  by  one  they  came  and  sat  beside 
him,  devoted  workers  representing  six  or  seven  different  societies, 
over  thirty  in  all,  including  our  own  C.  I.  M.  friends.” 

After  all  had  left,  his  son,  Dr.  Howard  Taylor,  persuaded  him 
to  go  up-stairs  to  rest,  although  he  said  lie  was  not  specially 
tired.  When  the  evening  meal  was  ready,  as  he  did  not  feel  in¬ 
clined  to  go  down-stairs,  a  tray  was  carried  to  his  room.  Then 
the  son  helped  him  to  bed  and  called  his  wife  to  sit  with  the 
aged  man  a  little  while.  Mrs.  Taylor  was  standing  outside  on 
the  veranda.  Of  her  experience  at  this  time  she  afterwards 
wrote : 

“Twilight  had  fallen  then,  and  darkness  veiled  the  distant 
mountains  and  river.  Here  and  there  a  few  glimmering  lights 
dotted  the  vast  expanse  of  the  grey-roofed  city.  All  was  silent 
under  the  starlit  sky.  Enjoying  the  cool  and  quietness,  I  stood 
alone  a  while,  thinking  of  father.  But  oh,  how  little  one  realized 
what  was  happening  then,  or  dreamed  that  in  less  than  one  fudf- 
hour  our  loved  one  would  be  with  the  Lord !  Was  the  golden  gate 
already  swinging  back  on  its  hinges?  Were  the  hosts  of 
welcoming  angels  gathering  to  receive  his  spirit?  Had  the 
Master  Himself  arisen  to  greet  His  faithful  friend  and  servant?” 

Entering  the  room  of  the  aged  man,  Mrs.  Taylor  found  the 
lighted  lamp  on  the  chair  beside  his  bed.  He  was  leaning  over 
with  a  letter  in  his  hand  and  others  spread  out  before  him 
“Could  you  not  read  us  something  interesting  while  Father  has 
his  tea?”  asked  she  of  her  husband,  knowing  that  would  please 
the  father.  Taking  up  a  book,  the  son  asked:  “Where  did  you 
leave  off?”  and  at  once  the  father  pointed  out  the  exact  place. 
His  mind  was  still  perfectly  clear.  But  before  sitting  down,  the 
son  went  to  bring  something  else  for  the  tray.  Meanwhile,  Mrs. 
Taylor  was  leafing  through  the  pages  of  the  Missionary  Review, 
at  which  the  elderly  man  had  been  looking. 

Suddenly  the  old  missionary  turned  his  head  on  the  pillow 
and  gave  a  little  gasp.  He  did  not  speak,  nor  was  he  choking, 


21 


nor  distressed  for  breath.  He  did  not  seem  conscious  of  anything 
then.  The  son  and  other  friends  were  called.  They  came  at  once, 
but  “He  was  not,  for  God  took  him.” 

“The  look  of  calm  and  rest  that  came  over  his  face  was  won¬ 
derful  !  The  weariness  of  years  faded  away  in  a  few  moments, 
and  the  very  room  seemed  filled  with  unutterable  peace.  ’  ’ 

Gloriously  translated  on  June  3,  1905,  was  James  Hudson 
Taylor,  from  Chang-Sha,  Hunan,  the  heart  of  China.  “It  was 
certainly  remarkable  that  he  who  had  given  his  life  to  open  the 
closed  provinces  of  inland  China  should,  ere  he  died,  have  been 
permitted  to  enter  into  the  capital  of  the  last  province  to  be 
opened  to  the  gospel,  and  from  that,  the  most  appropriate  spot 
on  earth,  should  be  called  to  his  everlasting  reward.  ’  ’ 

The  China  Inland  Mission  Jubilee.  (“Missionary  Re¬ 
view  of  the  World”  July  1925.) 

The  sixtieth  anniversary  of  the  founding  of  the  China  Inland 
Mission  has  been  widely  celebrated  (June,  1925).  On  June  25, 
1865,  Rev.  J.  Hudson  Taylor,  following  a  call  of  God  to  reach 
inland  China,  with  the  Gospel,  wrote  in  the  margin  of  his  Bible : 
“Prayed  for  twenty-four  willing,  skillful  laborers  at  Brighton.” 
This  number  was  asked  for  in  order  to  supply  two  for  each  of 
eleven  provinces  still  without  a  missionary,  and  two  for  Mongolia. 

God’s  answer  finds  partial  expression  in  the  following  record 
of  that  mission  to  the  end  of  1924 :  More  than  2,000  missionaries 
sent  out  in  60  years,  of  whom  1,134  are  still  on  active  service  in 
15  provinces,  besides  Chinese  Turkestan  and  the  borders  of 
Mongolia  and  Tibet ;  $15,000,000  received  and  used  in  the  work ; 
present  stations  258;  out-stations  1,764;  chapels,  1,518;  hospitals 
13 ;  dispensaries  91 ;  schools  545 ;  paid  Chinese  workers  2,211 ; 
voluntary  Chinese  workers  2,150;  churches  1,165;  communicant 
members  64,350;  baptized  in  1924,  5,779;  baptized  since  com¬ 
mencement  of  work,  104,820. 


SERIES  OF  PROGRAMS  NOW  AVAILABLE 


Course  Number  One 

JAMES  CHALMERS,  Martyr  of  New  Guinea 

JAMES  GILMOUR,  Pioneer  in  Mongolia 

WILFRED  T.  GRENFEL,  Knight-Errant  of  the  North 

ADONIRAM  JUDSON,  Herald  of  the  Cross  in  Burma 

ION  KEITH-FALCONER,  Defender  of  the  Faith  in  Arabia 

DAVID  LIVINGSTONE,  Africa’s  Pathfinder  and  Emancipator 

ALEXANDER  M.  MACKAY,  Uganda’s  White  Man  of  Work 

HENRY  MARTYN,  Persia’s  Man  of  God 

ROBERT  MORRISON,  Protestant  Pioneer  in  China 

JOHN  G.  PATON,  King  of  the  Cannibals 

MARY  SLESSOR,  The  White  Queen  of  Calabar 

MARCUS  WHITMAN,  Hero  of  the  Oregon  Country 

Course  Number  Two 

CAPTAIN  LUKE  BICKEL,  Master  Mariner  of  the  Inland  Sea 

WILLIAM  CAREY,  Founder  of  Modern  Missions 

ALEXANDER  DUFF,  India’s  Educational  Pioneer 

MARY  PORTER  GAMEWELL,  Heroine  of  the  Boxer  Rebellion 

FRANK  HIGGINS,  Sky  Pilot  of  the  Lumbermen 

RAYMUND  LULL,  First  Missionary  to  the  Moslems 

GEORGE  L.  MACKAY,  Pioneer  Missionary  in  Formosa 

JOHN  K.  MACKENZIE,  The  Beloved  Physician  of  Tientsin 

ROBERT  MOFFAT,  Friend  of  the  African 

JOHN  COLERIDGE  PATTESON,  Martyr  Bishop  of  the  South 
Seas 

J.  HUDSON  TAYLOR,  Founder  of  the  China  Inland  Mission 
JOHN  WILLIAMS,  Shipbuilder  in  the  South  Seas 


No.  322— 1M— May,  1926 


24 


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